Not happy with results

[AeroCleanse]

I just gone done washing my dads car, along with polishing the trunk (cleaner wax applied to the hood and roof using a non Meg's product). I used my Porter Cable DA and #83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish. I worked for about 1/2 an hour on the truck trying to get the micro scratches out. Some came out, some did not. So I'd like to know what I did wrong and what to do about it.

Conditions: 44F (yeah but its Wisconsin) and a white car. DA set to position 5 and used the most aggressive yellow pad (the double sided ones). Its a 1998 Chev Malibu.

I do own a rotary, but haven't used one yet.

[rebelde33]

Re: Not happy with results

White paint is harder to work on since it's a single stage paint. Did you apply weight when you were working it in?

[Andy M.]

Re: Not happy with results

[Tim Lingor]

Re: Not happy with results

I just gone done washing my dads car, along with polishing the trunk (cleaner wax applied to the hood and roof using a non Meg's product). I used my Porter Cable DA and #83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish. I worked for about 1/2 an hour on the truck trying to get the micro scratches out. Some came out, some did not. So I'd like to know what I did wrong and what to do about it.

Conditions: 44F (yeah but its Wisconsin) and a white car. DA set to position 5 and used the most aggressive yellow pad (the double sided ones). Its a 1998 Chev Malibu.

I do own a rotary, but haven't used one yet.

Sorry to hear that you are having difficulty with the marring. Sometimes paint can be extremely difficult to remove the swirls and scratches.

Before we can figure out what went wrong, we need a little more information first:

1. What pads were you using?
2. How large an area were you buffing at one time?
3. How long did you work the product before removing it?
4. Is this the original paint?

Tim

[roushstage2]

Re: Not happy with results

If you are talking about the aggressive yellow pad that is double sided, I am thinking you are using Lake Country pads? Being that is the most aggressive LC pad that you'd use with a DA, sounds like you need to move up to their orange pad (or possibly higher) and go over it again.

[invertalon]

Re: Not happy with results

Yellow is more aggressive then the orange pad.

[AeroCleanse]

Re: Not happy with results

Sorry to hear that you are having difficulty with the marring. Sometimes paint can be extremely difficult to remove the swirls and scratches.

Before we can figure out what went wrong, we need a little more information first:

1. What pads were you using?
2. How large an area were you buffing at one time?
3. How long did you work the product before removing it?
4. Is this the original paint?

Tim

1: Pads are: These
2: About 1/2 the trunk maybe 12" x 18"
3: After some attempts I would say 15min per area, could have been longer
4: Yes its the OEM paint

I used moderate pressure during the operation.

[Tim Lingor]

Re: Not happy with results

1: Pads are: These
2: About 1/2 the trunk maybe 12" x 18"
3: After some attempts I would say 15min per area, could have been longer
4: Yes its the OEM paint

I used moderate pressure during the operation.

Thanks for the info!

1. As for the pads, I have never used those pads before. Generally I recommend to stay away from cutting pads with a DA. Often it can lead to a haze that people assume are still swirls. So they keep buffing only to discover that it does not go away.

2. The area is about right. Using medium pressure, on speed 5, work the M83 until it is a light residue and then remove. Do not dry buff.

3. The length of time concerns me. Usually after 2-4 minutes, M83 should be broken down, unless you are using way too much product. If you are spending 15 minutes on one area applying product to the pad only once, then that is WAY too long.

4. As others have said, white paint can be tricky and difficult in removing the swirls. Often it may require a rotary and someone experienced in using it to remove the swirls.

Here are my suggestions:


1. First and foremost, do a test spot.

2. Use a polishing foam pad with the DA. Obviously I use Meguiar's pads and therefore suggest using the W-8006 Foam Polishing pad. If you have another brand of foam polishing pad, give it a try.

3. Apply one swirl of M83 around the pad and work it over a 18"x18" area. Work the M83 for several passes until it turns into a light residue and then remove. Remove with a quality MF towel and then inspect. If the marring looks less, do the same spot again but this time with M80 Speed Glaze with a clean W-8006 pad. See what this does. If after multiple attempts with the M83, no change seems to be happening, and you are certain that using a lighter polish like M80 does not remove the marring, then you may need to use a rotary.

I hope this helps!

Tim

[AeroCleanse]

Re: Not happy with results

The time was probably total time, as in, work in product polish..take a look, try again, etc.

I consider the area a test spot, as its my dads car, and he's just happy its clean

I do have some Meg's pads, but not a backing plate for the DA, only my rotary. I'll have to practice using the rotary.

I will try the M83 on a less aggressive pad and chase it up with M80. I do have some M84 (Compound Power Cleaner) so everyone is aware.

Thanks for all the tips, I'll let you know what happens.

[MaxImage]

Re: Not happy with results

White paint is harder to work on since it's a single stage paint. Did you apply weight when you were working it in?

Just to elaborate on 08 Corolla's post, while many cars do indeed have single stage white paint, some do not. Now I am not sure if 08 Corolla is refering to just "white paint", or is inclusive of "pearl white" paint as well. But as to not assume anything, I thought I'd point this out.

And as a generalization, not all paint systems are the same. Some single stage paints are softer than others, others harder. Therefore, the work and techniques needed to correct defects may vary.

[keep_it_clean]

Re: Not happy with results

The time was probably total time, as in, work in product polish..take a look, try again, etc.

I consider the area a test spot, as its my dads car, and he's just happy its clean

I do have some Meg's pads, but not a backing plate for the DA, only my rotary. I'll have to practice using the rotary.

I will try the M83 on a less aggressive pad and chase it up with M80. I do have some M84 (Compound Power Cleaner) so everyone is aware.

Thanks for all the tips, I'll let you know what happens.

in orignal post you said you used a DA/PC but in this post you said you dont have a DA backing plate. my question is how did you the DA without a backing plate. and if you started with an agressive pad you will have to step down to less agressive pad and polish combo to remove the marring the more agressive pad/polish combo left

[AeroCleanse]

Re: Not happy with results

in orignal post you said you used a DA/PC but in this post you said you dont have a DA backing plate. my question is how did you the DA without a backing plate. and if you started with an agressive pad you will have to step down to less agressive pad and polish combo to remove the marring the more agressive pad/polish combo left

The double sided pads have an adapter that threads on (this). When it gets warmer, I'll be trying again.

[AeroCleanse]

Re: Not happy with results

I took advice and used one pass (again) of #83 on a green double sided pad, then two passes of M80 on a blue double sided pad. The micro scratches seem less, but there are still lots of them left. Do I move onto the rotary now?

Still needs help.

[Tim Lingor]

Re: Not happy with results

If you have less marring but still seem to have micro marring, the next step would be to move to a finer pad and a finer polish. I would now move to #82 on a W-9006 Finishing Pad.

If you still have extremely mild micro-marring, then we may need to do an additional step, using a W-9006 pad with M66 Quick Detailer Cleaner/Wax. I know it seems like a step backwards, but trust me, it is a trick I have used for years when I come across a paint that seems to swirl just by looking at it!

Tim

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Not happy with results

Sometimes you reach the limit as to what can be accomplished with a dual action polisher. It could be that these defects will require a rotary buffer.

Have you read this thread?

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3056

And looked at the pictures?


Here's a pictures of Tim's, (aka forum member svt150tim), new-to-him Ford Lightning with a factory clear coat finish over white basecoat.




Here's what the finish looks like all over the the entire truck,

Horrendous Swirls


Here are the results after 10 minutes of compounding using #84 Compound Power Cleaner with a W-7006 foam cutting pad on about 1800 rpm.



We tried to remove the cobweb-effect using the G-100 with a W-8006 polishing pad and some #83 DACP but it had no visible effect. The clear coat finish on this truck is as hard as glass, the only way to remove the swirls in the finish is to machine compound with a rotary buffer.